Thank you so much, Chair.
Hello, everybody. Bonjour. Ullukkut.
I'd like to begin by acknowledging that Canada's Parliament is located on the unceded, traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people.
Thank you for the opportunity to discuss and respond to your questions on the 2023-24 main estimates for Northern Affairs.
CIRNAC's 2023-24 main estimates include a total of approximately $9.2 billion in funding, of which $968.3 million is for Northern Affairs.
The main estimates include $74.8 million allocated for climate change and clean energy.
The department continues to encourage and support community-led adaptation and clean energy projects with northern, rural, remote and indigenous communities to address the impacts of climate change, displace fossil fuels, and advance reconciliation and self-determination.
Through five climate change adaptation and mitigation programs, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada continues to invest in initiatives to support clean energy projects in northern and indigenous communities.
The Government of Canada is also supporting co-development of an indigenous climate leadership agenda to chart a path forward to self-determined climate action.
The main estimates also include $489 million in spending for the northern contaminated sites program to manage the cleanup of contaminated sites such as abandoned mines in the north. The Government of Canada is responsible for the management of a portfolio of contaminated sites in Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
The contamination of these properties is the result of private sector mining, oil and gas activities and government military activity that occurred more than 50 years ago. The program creates jobs and skills development opportunities for indigenous partners and local workers, as much of the work is carried out by indigenous-led businesses.
These estimates also contain planned spending related to our nutrition north Canada program, which is more important than ever. The main estimates include $182.7 million in investments to support this program.
The program helps eligible northern communities through the nutrition north Canada retail subsidy, the harvesters support grant and community food programs fund, nutrition education initiatives and the food security research grant. Through this program, we work with local communities to provide culturally relevant programming to meet the needs of northern residents and increase access to affordable and nutritious food.
I'd also like to take a moment to discuss how some key investments identified recently in budget 2023 will benefit people in the north and in the Arctic, in particular $4 billion to implement a co-developed urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy, which I believe originated at this committee several years ago. These proposed investments will help northerners to access safe and affordable housing, which we know is critical to improving health and social outcomes and building a strong and prosperous north.
Other important investments from budget 2023 include $19.4 million to increase the participation of indigenous people and other northerners in environmental and regulatory assessments of major projects in the territories. An additional $1.6 million has also been proposed for coordinating federal participation in environmental assessments and associated consultations with indigenous communities on these major projects.
The 2023‑24 estimates also propose $8.7 million for deeper engagement on a national benefits-sharing framework that will improve the quality and consistency of benefits indigenous communities derive from major resource projects in their territories.
In concluding, thank you for inviting me today, and I look forward to any questions you may have.
Qujannamiik. Thank you.